The present invention comprises a new Pelargonium, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘Fistan.’
‘Fistan’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has scarlet-red flower color, large inflorescences, reddish peduncles, dark-green foliage with strong zonation, good branching ability for a dark green leaved variety, medium or oversized, mounding plant habit, and early to medium begin of flowering.
‘Fistan’ originated from a hybridization made in the summer of 2003 in a controlled breeding program in Hillscheid, Germany. The female parent was the commercial variety ‘Fistafire,’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,641, with large flowers, orange-red flower color, large inflorescences, dark green foliage with narrow leaf zone, and relatively tall plant habit.
The male parent of ‘Fistan’ was an unpatented hybrid seedling identified as ‘k94-2063-1’ with red, semi-double-type flowers, and dark green foliage.
‘Fistan’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in the spring of 2004 in a controlled environment in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain.
The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Fistan’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in the fall of 2004 in a controlled environment in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain.
Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in March 2005 in Hillscheid, Germany, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Fistan’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
‘Fistan’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.
Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar was applied for in Germany on Feb. 21, 2007 and in Canada on Mar. 30, 2007. ‘Fistan’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.